This invention relates to a small lamp socket device for a printed board or panel in which the small lamp socket device is fitted to a panel, a printed board, etc., used for indicating and illuminating many kinds of meters of automobiles, audio-visual appliances, and so forth.
A small lamp socket used for indicating and illuminating meters fitted to a panel or a printed board that has been used generally has the construction shown in FIG. 23, for example. A cylindrical socket main body a is fitted into a socket fitting hole d bored in a panel or a printed board b and having guide/positioning grooves c on both sides, contact portions (power feed contact members) coming into electric contact with a pattern face (printed wiring side) e of a board are formed in such a manner as to protrude from both sides of the socket main body a, and a flange-like reception seat portion g for clamping the board is formed at the lower part of the socket main body. Therefore, this small lamp socket is fitted to the printed board in the following way. First, the socket main body a is positioned from the back side (see an arrow in FIG. 23) of the printed board b so that the contact portions (or support plates) f on both sides oppose the guide/positioning grooves c formed on both sides of the socket fitting hole d, and after the contact portions f pass through the guide/positioning grooves c, the socket main body a is turned 90.degree. C. so as to bring the contact portions f into sliding contact on the pattern face e. In this way, the printed board b can be clamped between the contact portions f and the flange-like reception seat portions g below the former.
In other words, the fitting operation of the socket main body a to the printed board (or the panel) according to the prior art requires two operations, i.e. the inserting operation to the printed board (straight drive) and 90.degree. C. rotation (twist), and is troublesome. Accordingly, one-touch operation suitable for automatic assembly cannot be accomplished. Moreover, because the socket device must be handled from the back side of the printed board, its fitting direction is different from that of various other components which are provided at the front surface positions where the printed wiring is disposed, such as IC, and from this aspect, the fitting operation cannot cope with automatic assembly.